Today's community reading: Psalm 64, Jeremiah 28, Acts 4

In the closing verses of Acts 4, the believers had everything in common. There was a great sense of generosity among the believers and this created much unity and harmony. Central to this harmony is the resurrection - it has social implications. One theologian says that if we push the resurrection to the margins or leave it out all together, we don’t just lose an extra feature, like buying a car without heated seats, we actually lose the central engine which drives and gives every other component its reason for working.

The church that is shaped by the message of Jesus’ resurrection is thrusted out into the world to participate with God in his renewal of all things, including spaces and places. This means that we push back on corruption and decay holistically through mercy and justice. We protect the vulnerable, help to establish policies that are for the well-being of all, campaign for better housing and care for those in need, both inside and outside the church.